Mock Trial: Mann v. State

In 1830 a historical court case between the state of North Carolina and John Mann occurred. The court case is based off when Elizabeth Jones rented her slave, Lydia, to John Mann for a year. Over the course of this year John Mann was the owner of Lydia. Mann shot and wounded Lydia when she tried to escape a beating. Mann was found guilty of battery and had to pay a fine of $5. The Supreme Court overruled the decision stating that slave owners were in complete control of their slaves and cold not commit legally crimes against them.

In class we reenacted the Supreme Court's case through a mock trial. I was on the team of the defense (Mann) arguing against the prosecutor (state) over Mr. Mann's innocence.

The prosecutor took the stand first and restated the facts of the case before delivering their argument. They began arguing that for one Mr. Mann had no right to punish the slave due to the fact that he was only RENTING her and was not her true owner. The next argument that the prosecution team made they related it to religion and noted that God said to love all people including slaves. Then, the argument was made that when Mr. Mann shot Lydia nothing positive came from it. The final argument was that the punishment overall was unnecessary and the situation could have been handled in a better, more gentle, manner.

After the prosecutor's case was argued, the defense took the stand to argue our side. Our first argument was that the Constitution called for Mr. Mann to take action with the Fugitive Slave Clause. The Fugitive Slave Clause gave citizens the right to stop/hunt runaway slaves. The next argument made was that because Mr. Mann was renting Lydia for a year she was his property for that year and therefore he had the right to do what he wanted with her. Next, we made an ethical argument. When Mr. Mann shot Lydia he saved her due to the fact that caught runaway slaves have much more severe punishments. Also, she would not have been able to survive in the wild on her own. Therefore, Mr. Mann shooting Lydia during her attempt to escape was what was best for her. Then, we argued that Lydia running away would throw off Mr. Mann's economic position. The final argument was a bible verse. Exodus 21:20-21 says “When a man strikes his slave, male or female, with a rod and the slave dies under his hand, he shall be punished. But if the slave survives a day or two, he is not to be punished; for the slave is his money.” therefore morally stating that Mr. Mann did no wrong.

In the end the judge ruled in favor of the defense!